Monday, May 23, 2016

Broken Dishes Quilt

I've been sewing but only completed one quilt in the past month. I have several others in the works - you know I'm always sewing something - but none complete.

Except this one...

I made this mini quilt/wall hanging 5 or 6 years ago. It hung in my kitchen for a while until something new came along. I had actually made another little quilt using the same design many years ago in blue and white for my more traditional kitchen.

I've always wanted to make a bigger version. The pattern is Broken Dishes and is an old traditional block, easy to find with a Google search. For the bigger quilt, my half-square triangles finished at 2 1/2" making the block 5" finished when 4 of them are sewn together. I alternated 5 pieced blocks with 4- 5" finished (5 1/2" unfinished) white squares to make a 15" large block.

The quilt has 4 - 15" blocks across and 4 blocks down to make a 60" square quilt. I started with 2 charm packs of Vintage Picnic by Bonnie and Camille, then added B&C stash fabrics.

It took me a while to make this small quilt as I fell in and out of love with it many times. But I persisted and ended up loving the fresh result!

Sorry I don't have too many pictures this time - I accidentally deleted several. I guess I'm out of practice!

I really like the layout that you chose; how the lattice like pattern frames the octagon and the interest having piecing on the edge. I can understand falling in and out of love with a project, and I'm glad you persisted with this one. :)

I am trying to get over my allergy to solids (including quilts with white/cream backgrounds) and I have a question about using solids for backgrounds. Do you purchase yards of a few neutrals to have on hand (like batting) or do you buy the solid for each quilt?

It's gorgeous, and your quilting is amazing as usual!! I try to remind myself to wait to the end to pass final judgement because more often that not I find I am pleasantly surprised even though I might not be feeling it during construction :)